Shepherd's Corner (July 30, 2025)

Shepherd's Corner July 30 2025

0:00

Dear Riverside Family,

As I write this, there is news that the Klyuchevskoy volcano on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s far east has started erupting after Wednesday’s powerful earthquake, which registered 8.8 magnitude on the Richter Scale.

How strong is 8.8? According to the United States Geological Society (USGS), it is comparable to approximately 14,300 Hiroshima atomic bombs. The number is quite overwhelming. Fortunately, the possible Tsunami did not take place, and everyone is taking a sigh of relief.

The news of Russia's earthquake overshadowed some other major news events around the globe, such as the current war between Cambodia and Thailand. The possible involvement of China and its implications are bringing uncertainty to the region. Speaking of wars, the Russia-Ukraine war still goes on without an end in sight. President Trump's disappointment with Putin may lead to more direct involvement by the United States in that regional war. Russia, although it may not be as powerful as the Soviet Union, is still a formidable adversary with its nuclear arsenal.

As we are close to wrapping up the Study of Revelation, the headlines in the news seem very familiar. In fact, according to the Gospel of Matthew, the following:

Matthew 24:6-8 (NIV) 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

The above words are followed immediately by these words of warning:

Matthew 24:9-13 (NIV) 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

As we are discovering in the Book of Revelation, the description in Matthew 24:6-13 is not something that is completed and done away with. The faithful Christians have been living verses 9 through 13 in various forms for the past two thousand years already, and yet, we have to face the tribulations described here. Indeed, we will not be spared from them.

The headlines in the news are a reminder for the saints to turn to the Gospel News of the King and His Kingdom.

Dearly Beloved, we are living in a remarkable time. Within our lifetime, we have seen mankind land on the Moon. As to prove that we are descendants of those who were building the Tower of Babel, as of June 26, 2025, there are currently 7,875 Starlink satellites in orbit, of which 7,855 are working. According to Space.com, Elon Musk's goal is to have 42,000 Starlink satellites to cover the Earth. We have self-driving cars and Artificial Intelligence (AI) that are driving a lot more than just electric cars.

What are we to do?

We need to know Christ, and not just know about Him. But to actually know Him. While God has granted humanity 24-hour days, unlike the ancients, we are bombarded with information. You know what? Just as we don't have fresh water to drink during a flood, the information overload has made it more difficult to drink from the spring of life.

We must turn to the Lord. May I end this week's Shepherd's Corner with Hosea 6:1-3:

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”